PHILADELPHIA: Arden Theatre Company has announced its 2018-19 season, featuring seven productions.
“Our goal is to bring to our stages a wide range of stories, and I am thrilled that our 2018-19 season will do just that,” said producing artistic director Terrence J. Nolen in a statement. “Our season includes a provocative new play by a local playwright, audacious plays by some of our leading writers, a beautiful musical that celebrates the power of music to bring people together, and two plays by August Wilson that allow audiences to experience the power and poetry of one of our greatest playwrights.”
The season will start with Once (Sept. 20-Oct. 21), with a book by Enda Walsh, and music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. The musical follows an Irish musician as he finds inspiration in a Czech immigrant to continuing creating music. Nolen will direct.
Next up will be Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Oct. 25-Dec. 9), a follow-up to Henrik Ibsen’s classic play which takes place 15 years later with the return of Nora Helmer. Tracy Bridgen will direct.
Following will be Every Brilliant Thing (Nov. 8-Dec. 16), by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, a one-man show that examines what makes life worth living. Scott Greer will star, and Nolen will direct.
Next will be 74 Seconds…To Judgement (Jan.17-March 3, 2019), by Kash Goins, about a deadlocked jury of 6 that is struggling to decide what is ‘justifiable homicide.’ Amina Robinson will direct.
The season will continue with August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned (Feb. 14-March 24, 2019), co-conceived by Todd Kreidler, an autobiographical solo-show that shares Wilson’s stories about first jobs, first loves, and his encounters with racism.
Next up will be August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean (Feb. 28-March 31, 2019), a mystical story of freedom, justice, and redemption set in 1904 in Pittsburgh.
The season will close out with Paula Vogel’s Indecent (May 23-June 23, 2019), a play with music that chronicles the staging of Sholem Asch’s controversial play God of Vengeance.
Arden Theatre Company, founded in 1988, brings educational productions and programs to the artists, audiences, and students of the greater Philadelphia region.
